Dawgs' Early Lead Doesn't Last in Winter Garden

WINTER GARDEN, Fla. – The Winter Park Diamond Dawgs appeared to be in control after racing out to a six-run lead, but the Winter Garden Squeeze responded with 12 unanswered runs to hand the Dawgs a 12-7 loss Thursday night at Horizon High School.

Winter Park wasted no time putting pressure on the Squeeze. Jacob Pearl drove in the game's first run with an RBI single in the opening inning before Skyler Jersey scored on a hit-by-pitch to make it 2-0. The Dawgs added another run in the second on Roberto Odor's sacrifice fly, then capitalized on three wild pitches to stretch the lead to 6-0 through the top of the third.

The momentum shifted quickly in the bottom of the fourth.

Winter Garden answered with five runs in the inning, highlighted by Fabian Antonsanti's three-run homer that cut the Dawgs' lead to 6-5. An unearned run in the fifth tied the game before the Squeeze took control with four more runs later in the inning and added two in the sixth, turning a 6-0 deficit into a 12-6 advantage.

The Dawgs managed one final run in the seventh when Hutson Guinn lined an RBI double down the left-field line to score Garrett Frost, but they got no closer.

Despite the loss, Guinn finished 1-for-3 with two RBIs, while Skyler Jersey collected two hits and scored twice. Pearl also recorded two hits, drove in a run and scored once, while Odor added an RBI. Luke Manderson doubled as Winter Park totaled nine hits.

Benjamin Filler took the loss after allowing five runs in 1 1/3 innings of relief. Wyatt Flack started and pitched three innings before the Squeeze's rally began. Knute Rockey and Kaiden Perez combined to pitch the final three innings.

The teams continue their series Friday at Horizon High School.

Justin Baltes (University of Central Florida)